Combination handleable fluid dispenser and tool head holder



Dec. 10, 1963 e. w. RUNDLE 3 ,113,703

COMBINATION HANDLEABLE FLUID DISPENSER AND TOOL HEAD HOLDER Filed Dec. 5, 1960 INVENTOR @50/265 M?) RUNDLE .ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,113,763 CONLBINATZON HANDLEABLE FLUKD DldPENdER AND TOQL HEAD HOLDER George W. Bundle, Gardens, Calitl, assignor to Howard L. Johnson, Gardena, Calif. Filed Dec. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 73,675 9 Claims. (til. 222-191) This invention relates to a handleable dispenser for fluids and in particular for liquids such as water, cooking oil, adhesive and other surface-coating or film-forming solutions, emulsions or suspensions of materials such as can be contained in a compressible or squeeze-bottle type container. My dispenser is adapted for detachable coupling to such a container for manual release of directed spurts or sprays of desired mounts of such liquid upon a particular work surface. The dispenser also (detachably) mounts a tool head selected for its applicability to the particular work surface.

According to the invention, the liquid thus dispensed has particular applicability for the task at hand, in conjunction with the associated tool head which is positionally located with respect to the stream of ejected fluid. Thus, when using a spatula as the tool head, the liquid dispersed from the coupled con ainer is cooking oil; when the tool head is a wall paper scraper, the liquid employed is such as to soak the paper and loosen its adhesive backing. In removing other coating materials (e.g. layers of wax, resin, asphalt, cellulose, synthetic plastics, etc.) from a backing surface or member, the composition of the fluid dispensed preferably is adapted to the particular coating material.

By the present construction, the dispersed liquid is projected onto the work surface immediately beneath the underface 6 or below the lead edge 3 of the applicable tool head so that, when the tool head lifts a layer of material, the liquid is applied beneath it to the backing surface (if such is exposed) or to a layer below that thus raised. When the entire coating is initially adhered, its exposed face is first sprayed with the liquid to eliect softening. Or the material may not be adhered to the work surface at all (as in cooking) and it is accordingly lifted by the tool head in order to apply cooking oil or the like to the surface beneath.

The present dispenser finds particular application in kitchen use in conjunction with such dispenser containing cooking oil or grease, and with the associated tool head being adapted to handle food. Thus, in pan frying of meat or the making of pancakes, it is desirable both to lift the cooking article for invertion, and also from time to time, to apply lubricant between it and the pan. For such purpose a spatula tool head is especially applicable; or a fork, especially one with closely set tynes might be used in its place; at other times a ladle or scoop (either of which may be perforated) is desirable, depending upon the particular food being handled. In addition, regardless of the tool head (or even in its absence) the dispenser and coupled container can be used to apply oil or butter or even gravy or other dressing wherever needed in the kitchen or dining room.

In the drawings which illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of my invention FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing in position i FIGURE 3 is an end view of the tool coupling portion of the dispenser as viewed along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the holder and coupled tool head, with part of the latter broken away; and

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thru the free end of the compressible container, particularly showing the construction of the relief valve.

Conveniently the housing of the dispenser 10 may be molded of any suitable plastic material, in two longitudinal halves which can be readily cemented or fused together in assembly. The body 15 is formed of a lower, elongated, rearward extending, substantially rigid, supporting surface it? typically shaped as an open-topped, inwardly concave or arcuate trough or channel which thus projects rearward from an annular body section 18, which section in turn is formed with a central, cylindical, rearward opening mounting cavity or socket mouth 20 provided with screw threads 22 or other attachment means about its inner tubular face.

Extending longitudinally from the cavity 20, within the body 15 there is formed a channel 24, having a forward, downturned portion which terminates in an external nipple or delivery orifice 26, which outlet is directed downward and angularly forward of the dispenser body. Intermediate its longitudinal length, the channel 24 is traversed by a more or less perpendicular and generally vertically directed bore 25, the lower enlarged end of which is adapted to receive a closure screw 39, while the upper, radially restricted section houses a slidable shaft 31 of a piston-type valve 32.

A coiled expansion spring 34 abutting against the inner end of the screw 3h normally retains the valve body 36 seated across the channel 24 so as to block how of liquid therealong. However, by means of a finger lever or trigger 38 overlying the outer end of the projecting valve shaft. 31, the valve may be unseated against the oppos'ug force of the spring, and liquid can then flow along the channel 24 and out the nozzle 26. Upon release of digit or hand pressure on the lever 3%, expansion of the spring 34 automatically reseats the valve, stopping flow of liquid thru the channel 24. One end of the lever 38 is pivotally attached by a transverse pin 40 inserted thru a parallel pair of upstanding bearing ears 42, 44 which latter are located on the dispenser body 15 just forward of an annular boss 46 which houses the projecting valve shaft 31. Accordingly, it will be seen that the fulcrum and pivot point of the lever being thus situated closely adjacent each other, a very slight depression or pressure of the free end of the trigger 38 will serve to open the valve.

Opposing dependent side wings 48, 50 are bent parallel inward along the forward end of the dispenser body 15 toward each other and spaced apart from the body surface to form jointly a mounting slot or slideway for reception of a bifurcate end 52 of a work head such as the illustrated spatula 14. A terminally threaded pin 54 projects centrally downward from the body of the dispenser body 15 so as to be receivable in the slot 56 of such bifurcate tool shank 52, in which position a locking member such as an overlying wing nut 53 can be tightened against the adjacent shank surfaces. It may be noted also that the dependent nipple 26 is similarly located in the slot formed by the forked end of the inserted tool head so as to be unaffected by interchange of successive work heads slid therealong.

By way of example, the category of kitchen tools may have many shapes, even in the class of spatulas, being of dilferent widths and lengths for various purposes as well as with positioning inclines 60 of greater or less slant, and with or without cut-out areas 62 (by means of which 3 the entire assembly can conveniently by hung on a nail or stud).

At the other end of the dispenser 18, the cooking oil container 12 is typically a cylindrical tube or bottle of deformable (if desired, resilient) plastic material such as commonly available, with an externally threaded neck 64 for attachment in the socket 20. Cooking oil may be supplied in such a container (provided with a screw cap or closurenot shown) or may be furnished in bulk in a larger container for filling the squeeze bottle as required. If desired, the assembly may be provided with a relief valve to admit external air to the container 12 after each expulsion of fluid therefrom. Conveniently the valve can be located in the Wall of the plastic container, as illustrated. Thus, extending axially inward from the bottom face 66 of the compressible, plastic container 12 is a tubular cavity or chamber 68, wholly open at the bottom and with its inner end formed with a restricted, axial aperture 70 leading into the container 12. Within the chamber 68 is inserted, in succession, an expansion coil spring 72, a ball valve 74, and an externally threaded, axially apertured closure plug 76, the inner end of which serves as a valve seat for the ball. Accordingly, when the plastic container is squeezed or compressed, the valve 74 is held in closed position to prevent escape of fluid from the container. After ejection of fluid from the nozzle 26 and release of compression upon the container walls, the greater pressure of external air (relative to internal air) can unseat the ball 74 and air enters the container to fill the space just vacated by the ejected liquid.

While the invention has been here particularly described with reference to its illustrated embodiment as a kitchen tool and cooking oil dispenser, it will be apparent (as earlier indicated) that other tool heads can be employed for other purposes (especially those adapted for sliding over or scraping a surface) and other types of liquids or fluids can be dispersed in association therewith (particularly those of a surface softening or adhesive dissolving nature). Accordingly it is intended to define the invention broadly as hereafter claimed, within the limits necessarily imposed by the prior art, having in mind the possible substitution of components of equivalent function or utility.

I claim:

1. A handleable unit of the character described comprising in combination: a body having substantially rigid, lateral support means and an attachment mouth for de tachable connection of a manually compressible fluid container; a delivery nozzle carried by said body, the body being formed with a channel connecting the nozzle and the attachment mouth for passage of fluid therebetween; normally closed valve means carried by said body intermediate the length of said channel; and finger-operable trigger means adapted to unseat said valve and permit passage of manually pressurized fluid thru said channel upon manual compression of the body against the support means; said body additionally being provided with coupling means for connection thereto of a tool head in general longitudinal alignment with and at its point of connection spaced above a path followed by fluid ejected from said nozzle, whereby a coupled tool head may be moved over a work surface as the latter is sprayed with fluid from said nozzle.

2. The unit of the preceding claim 1 having in combination therewith a tool head secured thereto by said coupling means and characterized by a lead edge adapted to scrape a work surface.

3. The unit of the preceding claim, 1 having in combination therewith a manually compressible fluid container detachably connected to said attachment mouth and in such position adapted to be grasped and squeezed by the hand of an operator simultaneously as a digit of his hand operates said trigger.

4. The unit of the preceding claim 3 having in com bination therewith a tool head comprising a spatula secured thereto by said coupling means.

5. A compact, handleable, cooking oil dispenser and kitchen tool holder comprising in combination: a body having a longitudinally extending, substantially rigid, support surface adapted to retain a fluid container thereon; container attachment means carried by said body adjacent said surface; a delivery nozzle carried by said body, said body being formed with a channel connecting the nozzle and attached container for passage of fluid from the mouth to the nozzle; normally closed valve means carried by said body intermediate the length of said channel; finger operable trigger means carried by said body and adapted to unseat said valve and permit passage of fluid thru said channel, said trigger being operable by the users hand simultaneous with compression of such connected container against the support surface; and cou pling means carried by the body for detachable connection of a cooking tool forward of the delivery nozzle.

6. The combination dispenser and holder of the preceding claim 5 which additionally has a spatula detachably attached to said coupling means, the bottom of which spatula is located in general longitudinal alignment with and spaced above a path followed by fluid ejected from said nozzle.

7. The combination dispenser and holder of the preceding claim 5 wherein said coupling means comprise a pair of complementary facing, dependent wings turned under said body to form an insertion slot for a tool head, and a tool head formed with a flat, bifurcate attachment shank slidingly received in said slot, the dispenser body additionally having a downward projecting shaft located between the mounted bifurcate ends of said shank and having a fastening element carried on said shaft and adapted to overlie the mounted shank to lock the same in operative position.

8. A compact, handleable, cooking oil dispenser, container and kitchen tool holder, comprising in combination: a body having a longitudinally extending, substantially rigid, support surface adapted to retain a fluid container thereon; container attachment means carried by said body adjacent said surface; a manually compressible fluid container disposed on said surface and coupled to said attachment means, which surface and container are adapted to be grasped jointly by a users hand so as to compress the container; a delivery nozzle carried by said body, said body being formed With a channel connecting the nozzle and attached container for passage of fluid from the mouth to the nozzle; normally closed valve means carried by said body intermediate the length of said channel; finger operable trigger means carried by said body and adapted to unseat said valve and permit passage of fluid thru said channel, said trigger being operable by the users hand simultaneous with compression of such connected container against the support surface; and coupling means carried by the body for detachable connection of a cooking tool forward of the delivery nozzle.

9. A handleable assembly embracing a fluid dispenser and a connected tool head which assembly is adapted for manual holding and for sliding movement as a unit across a work surface, said assembly comprising in combination: a fluid container having a manually compressible body and a delivery nozzle adapted to deposit fluid therefrom upon said work surface; a body having a surface adapted to longitudinally support said container and a connected tool head having a lead edge disposed in position for sliding engagement with said surface to which the fluid deposit is applied; and a digitally operable trigger disposed adjacent said dispenser and selectively operable to permit ejection of fluid upon manual compression of the container against said support surface simultaneous with movement of the assembly over the workpiece.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Evans Aug. 26, 1913 Reiser et a1 Aug. 17, 1915 Perelman Feb. 1, 1927 Collins Feb. 5, 1929 Koukal Oct. 2, 1934 Strong Feb. 14, 1939 Ferguson Aug. 27, 1940 Kunz Apr. 6, 1954 10 6 Blum et a1. Nov. 8, 1955 Lebet July 10, 1956 Dean Oct. 1, 1957 Lipka June 17, 1958 McDermott Mar. 8, 1960 Milhous Mar. 6, 1962 McCarty Apr. 10, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 26, 1957 

1. A HANDLEABLE UNIT OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A BODY HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID, LATERAL SUPPORT MEANS AND AN ATTACHMENT MOUTH FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION OF A MANUALLY COMPRESSIBLE FLUID CONTAINER; A DELIVERY NOZZLE CARRIED BY SAID BODY, THE BODY BEING FORMED WITH A CHANNEL CONNECTING THE NOZZLE AND THE ATTACHMENT MOUTH FOR PASSAGE OF FLUID THEREBETWEEN; NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BODY INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OF SAID CHANNEL; AND FINGER-OPERABLE TRIGGER MEANS ADAPTED TO UNSEAT SAID VALVE AND PERMIT PASSAGE OF MANUALLY PRESSURIZED FLUID THRU SAID CHANNEL UPON MANUAL COMPRESSION OF THE BODY AGAINST THE SUPPORT MEANS; SAID BODY ADDITIONALLY BEING PROVIDED WITH COUPLING MEANS FOR CONNECTION THERETO OF A TOOL HEAD IN GENERAL LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT WITH AND AT ITS POINT OF CONNECTION SPACED ABOVE A PATH FOLLOWED BY FLUID EJECTED FROM SAID NOZZLE, WHEREBY A COUPLED TOOL HEAD MAY BE MOVED OVER A WORK SURFACE AS THE LATTER IS SPRAYED WITH FLUID FROM SAID NOZZLE. 